THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00826A001000010022-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 7, 2006
• Sequence Number: 22
• Publication Date: July 8, 1966
• Content Type: IM

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
THE, SITUATION IN VIETNAM
Information as of 1600-
8 July 1966
PREPARED FOR THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
FURTHER DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION
CONTAINED HEREIN IS NOT AUTHORIZED
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General Thi is said to be increasingly amenable
to some assignment which will take him outside of
South Vietnam. His sudden interest in a foreign
assignment probably stems from the realization that
he may become a sacrificial pawn in the renewed po-
litical fighting within the Directorate.
I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
Two new military operations have been initiated-
Operation EWA in Hau Province and Operation HASTINGS
in Quang Tri Province (Pafa.s. 1-2). Binh Thuy Air
Base hit by 40 rounds of mortar fire yesterday (Para.
3). US aircraft inadvertently' strike South Vietnam-
ese force (Para. 4). Viet Cong military and political
representatives discuss security measures and attack
plans during two-week meeting in June (Para. 5).
Elements of the 24th NVA Regiment observed in Kon-
tum Province (Para. 6).
II. Political Developments in South Vietnam:
General Thi is now reported to desire an assignment
outside of Vietnam, preferably in the United States
(Para. 1).j I
Workers for the American construction
consortium receive a 15-percent increase in wages,
plus fringe benefits (Para. 4).
III. Military Developments in North Vietnam:
Another drone reconnaissance vehicle was
shot down by a SAM on 8 July (Paras. 7-8). The
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IV. Other Communist Military Developments:
There is nothing of significance to report.
V. Communist Political Developments: North
Vietnamese propaganda following US strikes on POL
facilities continues to emphasize the determination
of the people in both North and South Vietnam to
press on with the war (Para. 1).
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I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
One US Marine battalion initiated reconnais-
sance Operation HASTINGS yesterday in northernmost
Quang Tri Province. The 814th North Vietnamese
Army Battalion is reported to be near the operational
area.
2. One battalion of the US 25th Infantry Divi-
sion began Operation EWA today. This search-and-
destroy operation is being conducted in an area
about 35 miles west of Saigon in Hau Ngtiia Province.
Two Viet Cong battalions--the 267th and the 269th--
with a combined strength of 900 men are reported
to be in the area of operations.
3. Early yesterday morning the Binh Thuy Air
Base, located about 80 miles southwest of Saigon in
Phong Dinh Province, was attacked by the Viet Cong.
An estimated 40 rounds of 81-mm. mortar fire hit
the base during the 20-minute attack. One US Air
Force policeman was killed and four other US Air
Force personnel were wounded. One helicopter was
destroyed, and a helicopter, a C-47, a jeep, and a
truck were damaged. Several buildings, including a
warehouse, sustained moderate damage. Two South
Vietnamese Air Force retaliatory strikes were flown
against four suspected Communist mortar positions with
unknown results.
4. Fourteen South Vietnamese Popular and Re-
gional Force troops were killed and 19 wounded in an
attack by US aircraft this morning. South Vietnam-
ese Army officials in the IV Corps had requested a
US air strike on an enemy position about 41 miles
southwest of Saigon in Kien Hoa Province. Two F-100
Supersabre aircraft responded and made an identifica-
tion pass on the target which had been marked with
yellow smoke by a forward air control aircraft. The
F-100 flight leader noted that personnel in the target
area did not disperse, and requested the forward air
controller to confirm that they had made their iden-
tification pass on the right target. The airborne
controller checked with the US ground controller and
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confirmed that the proper target had been identified.
The F-100s then made two strafing passes at the tar-
get before a red flare was fired from the ground and
the attack was broken off.
Viet Cong Discuss Security Measures and Plans. for
Attacks
5. Viet Cong personnel from four delta prov-
inces reportedly held a meeting in Dinh Tuong Prov-
ince from 1 to 15 June. Communist military and po-
litical representatives from Dinh Tuong, Kien Tuong,
Long An, and Hau Nghia provinces met to discuss
security measures and plans for attacks during the
monsoon season. The lack of success of the Viet
Cong during the dry season was attributed to the
careless movement of troops and the failure to con-
ceal the location of troops. In the future, the
punishment for security violations will be death.
Attack plans discussed included the blocking of
South Vietnamese operations in the area and assaults
on several South Vietnamese outposts.
Elements of the 24th NVA Regiment Observed Northwest
Of Kontum
6. The US 101st Airborne Brigade reported that
three montagnards released by the Viet Cong in Kontum
Province on 4 July stated that on 2 July two North
Vietnamese Army (NVA) companies were located in an
area about 50 miles northwest of Kontum town. Many
of the personnel were wounded and all the soldiers
appeared to be physically exhausted. Based on re-
ports of movements of the 24th NVA Regiment after Op-
eration HAWTHORNE, a multibattalion search-and-destroy
operation conducted in Kontum Province from 2 to 20
June, these units may have been elements of the 24th
NVA Regiment.
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II. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
Lieutenant
enera Nguyen C an T i is increasingly amen-
able to some assignment that will take him outside
of South Vietnam. Thi seems to be particularly in-
terested in an assignment in the US, possibly at
some senior military school. Thi's sudden interest
in a foreign assignment probably stems from the reali-
zation that he may become a sacrificial pawn in the
political infighting that now appears to have revived
within the Directorate. The future of Thi--as well
as that of four other generals involved in the re-
cent "struggle" movement--is a major issue in the
feuding.
4. "Vietnam Builders," the consortium of Ameri-
can construction firms in South Vietnam, today an-
nounced a 15-percent increase in the wages of its
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39,000 workers, many of whom were on strike
until last weekend. Although the announced wage
increase is only half of that demanded by the
strikers, fringe benefits, including family allow-
ances and adjustment of pay classifications, may
assuage the laborers and keep work going on vital
US military projects.
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Drone Reconnaissance Vehicle Shot Down
7. Hanoi radio announced on 8 July that a US
pilotless reconnaissance drone was shot down by a
Hanoi missile unit at noon on 8 July.
8. This is the 16th drone vehicle lost to
a SAM. This particular drone was configured for
a high-altitude photographic mission. SAMs have
been very effective against this type flight, which
generally follows a preset course and cannot take
evasive action. Surface-to-air missiles have not
been as successful against low-altitude drones.
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IV. OTHER COMMUNIST MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS
1. There is nothing of significance to report.
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1. In the wake of the recent US strikes on
targets in the Hanoi-Haiphong area, North Vietnam-
ese propaganda has continued to emphasize the de-
termination of the people in both North and South
Vietnam to press on with the war. Numerous news-
paper articles and propaganda broadcasts since 29
June have pointed to the "worldwide condemnation
of the US barbarous acts" and have called upon
the Vietnamese people to "hit still harder tfntil the
US gangsters are completely wiped out." The Hanoi
regime has mounted a renewed effort to stir up
greater enthusiasm from all segments of the popula-
tion for the war effort and has even characterized
its order calling for the evacuation of nonessen-
tial personnel from Hanoi as a measure designed
"to assure the defeat of the US aggressor."
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